I Wish I Was Flawless, I’m Not, the new EP from Liverpool native Michael Nelson, aka BANNERS is a stunningly vulnerable release that finds him embracing his imperfections and encouraging listeners to do the same. Short yet very sweet, the six songs on the EP are warm, mellow and lyrically powerful, flowing perfectly from one to another.
The EP’s opener, “Perfectly Broken”, a track about loving someone not in spite of their broken parts but loving their imperfections, sets the tone for the songs to follow. In lines like “All of your edges fit right into mine” and “We don’t need fixing”, “Perfectly Broken” is a stunning, comforting self-love anthem. It is followed by “In Your Universe”, which is about just feeling honored to be in someone’s orbit. Similar to “Perfectly Broken”, it’s a sweet, loving song that will make you think of that special someone.
More upbeat than the songs before and after it is the bright and warm “Keeps Me Going”, which proves BANNERS’ versatility and keeps these six songs from feeling stagnant or too similar. Meanwhile, “Easy” is a soon to be fan favorite, carried by soaring, stunning vocal work. Closing out the EP are “Happier” and the poppy, upbeat yet bittersweet “Miles Away.”
Although short, I Wish I Was Flawless, I’m Not is a stunning EP with substance. These six songs find BANNERS emerging from the pandemic more self-assured, balanced and confident than ever.